I was trying to think of a song that fit with our passage from yesterday - Ephesians 3:14-21 - where Paul prays that his readers would be strengthened by the Spirit, be able to grasp God's vast love, and grow into maturity. It's a pretty powerful prayer that concludes Paul's theological focus which comprises the first half of his letter. While I didn't feel strong about any song for that passage, one single that I keep hearing on the radio seems to fit well with the first 3 theological chapters of Ephesians.
The song, like Paul's theology, is admission of our own frailty and acknowledgement of dependence on God's grace.
I was thinking of going a couple directions with this week's Music Monday selection. I settled on one that seems fitting for a Monday. Monday is when reality sets in. The joy of the weekend is but a distant memory and most of us have to get back to the real world.
So with that in mind, and after hearing one of my favorite group's current Top 40 hit numerous times this weekend, I'm going with "Stressed Out" by Twenty One Pilots:
It hits a nerve to those of us who are still young enough to remember the carefree days of our childhood. Being an adult is great for many reasons, but if I'm honest - it stinks sometimes too.
While our society is very individualistic, we still embrace corporate labels like "American", "Hoosier", and/or "Cowboys fan". For much of history, there were only two labels that mattered, spiritually speaking. They were "Jew" and "Gentile". Any one not born into the people of Israel were outsiders, excluded from God's redemptive plan. Gentiles could partake through converting and conforming to the Law, but they were not on equal footing. That all changed with Christ and Paul lays it all out in Ephesians 2:11-22. In Christ, God has taken those two groups and made a new community by destroying what had divided them.
No longer, misfits, we are members of God's people, the Church. So this week's Music Monday features a theologically-rich rap by Lecrae that spells out who we are and what God has made us.
In Ephesians 2, Paul shares the essence of the Gospel by describing who we were before Christ and who we are after.
"Before"
"After"
In my sermon yesterday, I offered this illustration - a picture of me in my younger basketball playing days vs. me currently. It's kind of the opposite characterization as Ephesians - I mean, I'd love to be what I was physically 13 years ago. But I am married now and pastoring, having survived seminary. We own an nice house and have had some really fun experiences. So I guess I really would want to be where I'm at today if I had to choose, anyway, I digress.
The point is, that we are completely transformed spiritually when we give our lives to Christ. We were dead, then God makes us alive. We are not able to save ourselves by our good deeds, but God saves us by His grace and then empowers us to do good works.
God's grace is truly amazing and powerful and wonderful. While we didn't sing it during the service, I find this song to be a fitting one to extol God's wonderful and matchless grace.
This is a great rendition that really takes advantage of the various parts that can be sung. It also doesn't take away from the focus - which is Jesus and his gracious rescue of us 'defiled' sinners. This style is not as appreciated anymore, but it certainly has value as we ponder God's work and sing His praises for all He's done.
#Blessed has become an over-used social media hashtag. Sure, some people use it ironically, but it cheapens the significance of real blessings when we attach it to our latest Starbucks drink or Amazon purchase. Ephesians 1:3-14 sets us straight. It is effusive in describing all the true blessings we've been given by God and it is extravagant in how it praises God for those gifts.
Sometimes we need a reset in our heart's perspective. For me, the above song has that effect. "Amazing Grace", "Unfailing Love", "Laying Down Your Life So I Would Be Set Free" - beautiful, real blessings.
Admittedly most of my Music Monday features have centered around Christian music, especially praise and worship. Today I'm going another direction based on the news that has dominated the headlines this morning.
I can't claim to be a huge Bowie guy, but even as a casual pop music fan, I knew enough of his work to understand how influential he was and is. In fact, one of my favorite songs of all time was a collaboration he did with Queen.
Before I insert the video, check out the final verse (Bowie is credited with authoring most of the lyrics):
That's profound, even Christlike you could argue. The whole song offers a perspective on life and love that most songs completely ignore and fail to understand. I don't want to overdo it here and act like these musicians were something they were not. But I'm the kind of musical connoisseur that appreciates biblical values wherever they are expressed and found. Plus, this is just really good music.
Well, we made it to 2016. And this being the first Monday of the new year, I thought I'd share a fairly new song aptly titled "First" by Lauren Daigle.
More than having a relevant title, this song speaks to the heart all followers of Christ ought to consistently embrace - especially when we celebrate the New Year. Instead of making resolutions that get quickly discarded a few weeks in, maybe we can make this our heart's cry and our life's commitment for 2016.
"Before I bring my need, I will bring my heart"
That's not our natural bent when we approach God. But it's the order we ought to take to properly honor Him.
